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Side-by-side financial comparison of CARTERS INC (CRI) and FORWARD AIR CORP (FWRD). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

CARTERS INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($757.8M vs $631.2M, roughly 1.2× FORWARD AIR CORP). CARTERS INC runs the higher net margin — 1.5% vs -4.5%, a 6.0% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, CARTERS INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (-0.1% vs -0.3%).

Carter's, Inc. is a major American designer and marketer of children's apparel. It was founded in 1865 by William Carter.

Forward Air Corp is a leading North American asset-light logistics and transportation provider. It offers core services including expedited less-than-truckload freight delivery, final-mile logistics, intermodal transport, warehousing, and supply chain solutions, serving key sectors such as e-commerce, retail, manufacturing, and automotive across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

CRI vs FWRD — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
CRI
CRI
1.2× larger
CRI
$757.8M
$631.2M
FWRD
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
CRI
CRI
+0.2% gap
CRI
-0.1%
-0.3%
FWRD
Higher net margin
CRI
CRI
6.0% more per $
CRI
1.5%
-4.5%
FWRD

Income Statement — Q3 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
CRI
CRI
FWRD
FWRD
Revenue
$757.8M
$631.2M
Net Profit
$11.6M
$-28.3M
Gross Margin
45.1%
Operating Margin
3.8%
-0.5%
Net Margin
1.5%
-4.5%
Revenue YoY
-0.1%
-0.3%
Net Profit YoY
-80.1%
22.2%
EPS (diluted)
$0.32
$-0.90

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
CRI
CRI
FWRD
FWRD
Q4 25
$631.2M
Q3 25
$757.8M
$631.8M
Q2 25
$585.3M
$618.8M
Q1 25
$629.8M
$613.3M
Q4 24
$632.8M
Q3 24
$655.9M
Q2 24
$643.7M
Q1 24
$541.8M
Net Profit
CRI
CRI
FWRD
FWRD
Q4 25
$-28.3M
Q3 25
$11.6M
$-16.3M
Q2 25
$446.0K
$-12.6M
Q1 25
$15.5M
$-50.6M
Q4 24
$-36.4M
Q3 24
$-73.4M
Q2 24
$-645.4M
Q1 24
$-61.7M
Gross Margin
CRI
CRI
FWRD
FWRD
Q4 25
Q3 25
45.1%
Q2 25
48.1%
Q1 25
46.2%
Q4 24
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24
Operating Margin
CRI
CRI
FWRD
FWRD
Q4 25
-0.5%
Q3 25
3.8%
2.4%
Q2 25
0.7%
3.2%
Q1 25
4.1%
0.8%
Q4 24
12.0%
Q3 24
3.5%
Q2 24
-170.2%
Q1 24
-12.1%
Net Margin
CRI
CRI
FWRD
FWRD
Q4 25
-4.5%
Q3 25
1.5%
-2.6%
Q2 25
0.1%
-2.0%
Q1 25
2.5%
-8.3%
Q4 24
-5.8%
Q3 24
-11.2%
Q2 24
-100.3%
Q1 24
-11.4%
EPS (diluted)
CRI
CRI
FWRD
FWRD
Q4 25
$-0.90
Q3 25
$0.32
$-0.52
Q2 25
$0.01
$-0.41
Q1 25
$0.43
$-1.68
Q4 24
$-1.69
Q3 24
$-2.66
Q2 24
$-23.47
Q1 24
$-2.81

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
CRI
CRI
FWRD
FWRD
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$184.2M
$106.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.7B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$864.6M
$113.3M
Total Assets
$2.5B
$2.7B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
14.89×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CRI
CRI
FWRD
FWRD
Q4 25
$106.0M
Q3 25
$184.2M
$140.4M
Q2 25
$338.2M
$95.1M
Q1 25
$320.8M
$116.3M
Q4 24
$104.9M
Q3 24
$136.6M
Q2 24
$84.9M
Q1 24
$152.0M
Total Debt
CRI
CRI
FWRD
FWRD
Q4 25
$1.7B
Q3 25
$1.7B
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24
$1.7B
Stockholders' Equity
CRI
CRI
FWRD
FWRD
Q4 25
$113.3M
Q3 25
$864.6M
$139.8M
Q2 25
$853.9M
$151.8M
Q1 25
$847.2M
$154.6M
Q4 24
$201.7M
Q3 24
$226.1M
Q2 24
$283.8M
Q1 24
$926.1M
Total Assets
CRI
CRI
FWRD
FWRD
Q4 25
$2.7B
Q3 25
$2.5B
$2.8B
Q2 25
$2.5B
$2.8B
Q1 25
$2.3B
$2.8B
Q4 24
$2.8B
Q3 24
$3.1B
Q2 24
$3.1B
Q1 24
$4.0B
Debt / Equity
CRI
CRI
FWRD
FWRD
Q4 25
14.89×
Q3 25
12.05×
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24
1.81×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
CRI
CRI
FWRD
FWRD
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-128.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-144.1M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-19.0%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.1%
1.3%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
-11.04×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CRI
CRI
FWRD
FWRD
Q4 25
Q3 25
$-128.0M
$52.7M
Q2 25
$40.3M
Q1 25
$-48.6M
$27.6M
Q4 24
$-23.2M
Q3 24
$51.2M
Q2 24
$-45.2M
Q1 24
$-51.7M
Free Cash Flow
CRI
CRI
FWRD
FWRD
Q4 25
Q3 25
$-144.1M
$48.6M
Q2 25
$24.1M
Q1 25
$-59.0M
$15.7M
Q4 24
$-30.5M
Q3 24
$40.7M
Q2 24
$-59.6M
Q1 24
$-56.7M
FCF Margin
CRI
CRI
FWRD
FWRD
Q4 25
Q3 25
-19.0%
7.7%
Q2 25
4.1%
Q1 25
-9.4%
2.6%
Q4 24
-4.8%
Q3 24
6.2%
Q2 24
-9.3%
Q1 24
-10.5%
Capex Intensity
CRI
CRI
FWRD
FWRD
Q4 25
1.3%
Q3 25
2.1%
0.7%
Q2 25
2.8%
0.8%
Q1 25
1.6%
1.9%
Q4 24
1.1%
Q3 24
1.6%
Q2 24
2.2%
Q1 24
0.9%
Cash Conversion
CRI
CRI
FWRD
FWRD
Q4 25
Q3 25
-11.04×
Q2 25
90.37×
Q1 25
-3.13×
Q4 24
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CRI
CRI

Sales Channel Directly To Consumer$362.3M48%
Sales Channel Through Intermediary$283.8M37%
Other$110.4M15%
Gift Cards$1.3M0%

FWRD
FWRD

Omni Logistics Segment$359.8M57%
Network$183.9M29%
Intermodal Segment$50.2M8%
Truckload$41.6M7%

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